Chapter 355: The Fifth Hokage
A strange silence settled over the meeting room. Some reflected on what Kakashi had said; others were struck by the power he had just displayed. A new Hokage? And a god? The suggestion shook many. Konoha had a complex relationship with faith. While ninjas generally relied on their own abilities, a quiet belief in the Sage of Six Paths lingered in the background, especially among civilians who sought comfort in the legend of the chakra's founder. But the room's mood changed at Kakashi's words.
Watching in hiding, Ye Wen smirked. He'd come to witness this critical moment firsthand. After all, he had orchestrated it. However, he also looked at Kakashi with a hint of pity. "What kind of broken soul," he mused, "becomes this devoted, almost fanatical?" Kakashi had embraced faith in him to a degree that would make him an idealistic zealot, as devout as any apostle.
"Everyone here knows I was an elite shinobi, but my strength was never enough to rival a Hokage let alone reach my current power," Kakashi said. "That changed yesterday, when I encountered a god." His voice filled with awe. "A being of peace, who could no longer bear the endless violence of our world. And now I am his chosen emissary. Today, I will correct the errors left by the First Hokage and bring true peace to the shinobi world. Those who support my bid to lead Konoha, please stand with me. Together, we will usher in a new era."
Kakashi's fervor reverberated through the room. One by one, the jounin began to rise, affirming their support. With each person who stood, the inevitability of Kakashi's role as the Fifth Hokage solidified. Regardless of whether Kakashi's story about a god was true, his power spoke for itself.
"Good," he nodded approvingly, his gaze sweeping over the gathered shinobi. The knowledge and skills Ye Wen had imparted gave him confidence in his path forward. In this world, which revered strength and obedience, his message resonated like a beacon.
Across the room, Hiruzen Sarutobi watched, heart sinking. What he had intended to be a last ditch effort to delay Kakashi's ascent had instead become his ultimate defeat. His plan to stall the vote and call for Tsunade and Jiraiya had collapsed before his eyes. If Kakashi had been content to be a pliable figurehead like the Fourth Hokage, Hiruzen would have gladly let him take the title. But Kakashi was openly opposed to him, a threat he could no longer control. Hiruzen's seasoned mind quickly grasped the grim reality: Kakashi would soon dismantle the power structures he and his allies had carefully built over the years.
"I can't let him do this," Hiruzen thought, panic flashing across his face. Yet as he struggled to consider his options, the entire room seemed to shift, eyes locking onto him. Even without the Uzumaki clan's sensory gifts, Hiruzen could sense the hostility in the air. Attempting to stand, he realized Kakashi's shadow clones held him firmly in place.
As he glanced at the incriminating scrolls and the Sarutobi clan registry laid bare, his protests died in his throat. At that moment, he felt the full weight of his past mistakes pressing down on him. This was more than he could overcome with excuses and deflections.
And then, Kakashi spoke again. "Lord Third," he declared, "with the unanimous support of this council, I am now officially named the Fifth Hokage." Calmly, he reached forward, taking the Hokage's hat from Hiruzen's head and placing it upon his own.
In the same moment, a cheer rose from the assembled jounin a mixture of celebration, awe, and relief. For the first time in its fifty five year history, the Hidden Leaf Village had its Fifth Hokage. A Hokage chosen not only by acclaim but with the hope of a new path forward. However, Kakashi did not linger in the applause. He immediately turned to address the room with quiet resolve.
His eyes hardened as he began to examine the affairs of the village. He quickly discovered shocking amounts of corruption: misused funds, unqualified appointments, and rampant favoritism. Disgusted, he initiated a ruthless purge of the Hidden Leaf's bureaucracy, focusing especially on four prominent families the Sarutobi, Shimura, Mitokado, and Utatane clans. These were the factions tied to Konoha's "F4," those who had held unbridled power for over twenty years.
"Resistance?" Kakashi's face hardened at the thought. "Let them try." Even the Uchiha had failed to challenge Konoha's combined might; these families, however privileged, were in no position to resist. On Kakashi's orders, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado were swiftly imprisoned. He expected them to resist, but they submitted easily. Only Danzo Shimura, known for his ruthlessness, had the audacity to stand against him.
Confronted with no other choice, Hiruzen resigned himself to imprisonment. "He has the power," he thought bitterly, "and the will to carry out any plan Ye Wen commands." The cage of influence he had built around Konoha was collapsing, and for the first time, Hiruzen Sarutobi questioned every decision he'd ever made.
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